Idaho freshman Jessica Brzozowska takes life one step at a time, and does not get too worked up about the little things.
Originally from Melbourne, Australia, Brzozowska said she came from a more relaxed way of life.
“It’s really chill. It’s a really cool place to grow up in,” she said.
Brzozowska comes from Polish heritage and was the first in her family to be born in Australia. She said every two years, she and her parents go back to visit Poland.As a freshman, Brzozowska plays near the top of the lineup for the Vandals on a consistent basis, an impressive feat for such a young player. However, she said that was not always the case.
Brzozowska said when she was young, she was not keen on the idea of playing tennis.
“My parents put me into it, and I kind of hated it at the start,” she said.
Meanwhile, her sister picked up the sport in no time. The siblings played alongside each other, and it was the time spent with her sister that eventually led to Brzozowska loving the sport as well.
“We both played together,” she said. “And then when we got into year 10, she kind of stopped because she got more into her studies.”
Her sister went on to study veterinary science in Melbourne.
Brzozowska spent most of her teenage years on the courts. Instead of joining the school team, she trained independently, climbing the ranks of Australia’s best young tennis players. She was once ranked 69th in the country and 14th in the National Junior Rankings. She was named the second-best player in her age group and won three tournaments in her senior season.
College came calling in a heartbeat following Brzozowska’s success in Australia. She knew she wanted to get out and see the world and not stay in her hometown like her sister.
“I’m always one for traveling,” she said. “My whole life, I’ve grown up traveling around the world.”
Former women’s tennis head coach Mariana Cobra contacted Brzozowska and invited her to attend Idaho. Brzozowska, who had only visited America once, said she was excited and grateful for the chance to study outside her home country.
“I’ve got an amazing opportunity with studying and playing tennis here. At the same time, back home I probably wouldn’t be able to do that,” she said.
However, Brzozowska’s initial impressions of Idaho were quickly upended. Following the conclusion of the 2016 spring season, Cobra departed from the university, leaving a hole at the head coach position.
“It was kind of tough, because I had signed with one coach, and then I was told she’s leaving, so it was a bit weird,” she said.
Idaho soon found a replacement in Babar Akbar, brother of men’s head coach Abid Akbar.
Brzozowska said Akbar has a unique style of coaching that speaks more to the team’s emotional side than its competitive side.
“He’s really positive,” she said. “He just wants us to be our best and do our best. Results come after.
Brzozowska said Akbar preaches the same mantra day after day: Be good to people on and off the court. She said this outlook on life and competing has helped her focus more clearly on her game.
“I reckon tennis is more like a mental sport. Especially at this stage, where we’ve all got the strokes and everything,” Brzozowska said.
As for her physical game, Akbar said Brzozowska’s strength lies in her hitting.
“She’s one of the cleanest ball-strikers I have,” Akbar said. “It helps when you can hit the ball hard and be competitive.”
Brzozowska said that even though she can deliver a good hit, her movement needs work. After practice Brzozowska and Akbar can be seen working on her agility by jumping rope and going through footwork drills.
Halfway through the spring season, Brzozowska climbed to the top of the lineup, playing behind Idaho’s No. 1 player Marianna Petrei.
“(Petrei) works hard on the courts, and she just gets the job done,” Brzozowska said. “She just takes care of business. There’s nothing in her way and she just knows what she needs to do.”
Petrei is one of Brzozowska’s friends that also came from another country. All seven of Idaho’s women tennis players come from outside the U.S.
Brzozowska, who spent plenty of her childhood traveling with her family, said having international friends is not a new experience. She said beside her teammates not getting all of her jokes, the team gets along well, especially as the season has progressed.
When it comes to college life, Brzozowska said tennis has been her priority and where she spends most of her time. She said her greatest memories at Idaho have come from winning close matches alongside her teammates.
“We’re all playing matches, and we’re supporting each other and going through the same things,” she said.
Brandon Hill can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter @brandonmtnhill